Vivitrol is a drug used to help prevent drug dependency and relapse, and is used specifically for alcohol and opioid drugs such as heroin and prescription medications. Vivitrol is an extended release type of the drug Naltrexone, that one can get through injection once a month. It is not addictive, and is what is known as an antagonist. When someone injects Vivitrol, it cuts off the receptors that would normally be triggered by opioids or alcohol, so when someone takes a drink of alcohol or takes opioids they essentially cannot get drunk or high.
There are particular precautions that need to be taken before an individual begins treatment with Vivitrol. First off, a client who plans to begin Vivitrol needs to have been off of opioids for a minimum of 7-10 days. This includes individuals who are involved in opioid maintenance therapy and are taking meds such as Buprenorphine or Methadone. For a heroin abuser or a person who has been on Methadone for several years, abrupt cessation is brutal, but withdrawal is something they will have to endure for at least 7 days in order to start Vivitrol.
These meds must be used as part of a treatment program in South Wales that also includes individual therapy, group therapy and medical supervision. Talk with your therapist or doctor in regards to how pharmacological aids can help you maintain the drug-free life you want.
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